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Administrative divisions of Sierra
The administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Sierra is organized within the context of its government. Territorial-wise, the Kingdom is composed of 22 provinces and 7 territories. Government power and responsibility is organized, shared, and divided into three main levels: the , the , and the (often further divided into the and governments). There are explicit constitutional provisions concerning the territorial organization of Sierra although territorial units such as the , parliamentary districts, and wards also serve an important, albeit unofficial function in organization and operation. Although the federal government and the provinces hold shared , the provinces themselves do not hold absolute sovereignty in its traditional sense. Only the federal government retains the full jurisprudence and powers of a sovereign state in the Kingdom but various powers are or relegated to the provinces. The Constitution even provides for several exclusive powers unto the provincial government and allows them to create their own form of government, constitution, and laws so long as it does not violate the federal constitution. Provinces A clickable map featuring Sierra's 22 provinces The primary administrative and political division of Sierra is the Province. All of the provinces share their sovereignty with the federal government. Consequently, a Sierran citizen is simultaneously a citizen of the Kingdom as is his/her province of . Any powers forbidden to or not expressively granted to the federal government are given to the provincial governments. As such, provinces generally concern themselves with local law enforcement, public education, family law, public health, transportation, and infrastructure. All 22 provinces were admitted into the Kingdom following the ratification and promulgation of the Constitution of Sierra, the validating document that created the Sierran federal government. The actual process of admitting new provinces is not expressively outlined in Article VIII of the Constitution. The article itself only places restrictions on what types of provinces may be accepted. It explicitly forbids the creation of new provinces from existing ones without "the Consent of the Legislatures of the Provinces concerned as well as of Parliament." is a right granted to the provinces through Amendment VI of the Constitution. The act and process itself however, would require that a of the seceding province's citizens to vote in favor of secession, another supermajority in the federal Parliament, and an explicitly signed proclamation from the monarch. Since the amendment's passing, no major or notable legal attempt has ever been made. Unilateral secession is not recognized and perpetrators would be considered performing under Sierran federal law. Counties The county is the geographical and political subunit of a province. While the extent of a county's role and scope of power varies from province to province, most counties exist to coordinate provincial policy at the local level (such as the collection of taxes or oversight of public s). Counties with larger populations tend to provide facilities for its residents such as airports, libraries, and water works. Some counties (more prevalent in northeastern Sierra) serve no purpose beyond statistical organization for official government activities such as the conducted by the federal government and offering basic services (e.g., a ). Some may function as both a city and a county through status. A notable example of this form is the capital city of Los Angeles, which, although not an independent territory in its own right, maintains county-level status within the province of the Gold Coast. Within most counties, wherever there is an area that is , it falls under the direct control of the county government. Municipalities With the exception of the provinces of Washumko, Eureka, and Apache, provincial governments make no distinction between a (town) or a . The terms are both interchangeable and refer to the same form of local government: the . As such, the municipality, regardless of its size or population, is considered the primary subdivision of a county. Like counties, municipalities vary in the extent of its responsibilities and role from region to region. Generally, any part of the county that is is considered a municipality. Municipalities derive their status not from the county government but from the provincial legislature. Organized population centers established through a county statute are not municipalities in the true legal sense but may serve the same purpose as a regular municipality. Such centers are known as villages wherein although they may act as municipalities, they may not enjoy the same extent of that true municipalities do. Some municipalities derive their power from (which must still be approved by the provincial government) which allows them to create its own laws semi-independently from a province's general city laws. Towns and townships In the provinces of Washumko, Eureka, and Apache, s (towns) are distinct from municipalities. As opposed to municipalities, townships function and govern similarly to a county government. Townships have broader scope on local affairs and powers than most municipalities in other provinces do. In all three of the provinces, with fewer people and more open space, the need of a municipal government is considered unnecessary as the township can cover both the scope of a traditional municipal government with that of the county (similar to a ). Territories The main distinction between a province and a territory is that the sovereignty of these areas do not rest in the hands of its local populace but in Parliament. In addition, territories are not officially considered a part of the Kingdom but nonetheless, citizens whose is in a territory are legal citizens of the Kingdom. While such citizens are Sierrans, they are not obligated to pay the , allowed to vote in prime ministerial elections, or receive services from certain federal programs such as . Native Sierran reservations Unofficial divisions Electorates Parliamentary districts Wards Baronies See also *Government of Sierra *Geography of Sierra Category:Geography Category:Kingdom of Sierra